WHO’S NEXT TRADE FAIR, WINTER 13-14

January 19-20-21-22, 2013, Paris

In the trade fair calendar, Who’s Next takes place the weekend after Bread & Butter, Premium and Seek (Berlin) so the “surprise effect” is not as strong.

At Fame :
- we see some brands that were already presented in Berlin.
- the focus on the collections is more fluid at Who’s Next and more representative of the French rather than the international market.

COLORS
Lots of yellow, from chickadee to ochre, associated with ranges of gray, navy blue, green and teal blue.
To note, most collections are shown in monochromes, giving a feeling of repetition (example : a nude monochrome going from rust-orange all the way to hazelnut).
Surprising : Gat Rimon’s color range is only made of grays with white as the single pivotal point.

PRINTS AND FABRICS
FLOCKING on all grounds : denim, sheared velvet, silk, fleece, etc. Used as much for bottoms as for tops (example : True Tradition, Valentine Gauthier, Custommade).
We loved the two-tone panther flocking at Valentine Gauthier that updates animal skins, worked on a crepe shirt, a canvas jacket or for denim.

TWEED : especially for tailored pieces, the follow-up to the zipped blouson that follows the perfecto (Anna Studio, Gat Rimon).

BROCADE :
Worked as a twist on casual pieces like the varsity jacket (at La Manufacture).
More classic in J. Crew style cigarette pants (at True Tradition).
In patchworks on separates such as a cardigan (at Roberto Collina).

PRODUCTS
We like brands that offer mono-products : more directive, they stand out from brands with slick merchandising that seem too similar.

We loved the Suüwu brand that hybrids outerwear pieces :
- A 3-in-1 parka (the outside comes off, it can be zipped apart, a removable double hood, three-colors) reminds us of one from Acne.
- 2-in-1 tailored pieces : a sleeveless bouclette body in a Phillip Lim style + a Uniqlo style windbreaker lining.

A focus on fur : many brands at the fair specialize in fur.
A focus on sweatshirts : printed and embroidered at G Kero (a mono-product brand).

In general, all the brands present included a sweatshirt in their line : two-fabric, jeweled, printed, quilted, etc.

To note : a strong Isabel Marant influence could explain the ongoing merchandising of many brands. We see many reworked products that have now become permanent items in the women’s causal wardrobe.